SAD  WEDDINGS. 

By  Our  Missionaries  in  Allahabad , India. 
EBRUARY  is  the  month  for  weddings,  and  many 


of  our  school  girls  are  being  married.  Those  of 
low  caste  we  expect  to  return  in  a few  days  or  weeks, 
when  the  ceremonies  are  over,  and  they  may  remain  in 
their  fathers’  houses  for  a year  or  two  longer.  I was 
amused  the  other  morning,  as  I was  teaching  in  a school, 
when  an  old  woman  asked  me  to  let  the  pupils  go 
home.  She  said,  “ Can’t  you  hear  those  drums?  They 
are  beating  for  their  marriage,  which  is  now  going  on, 
and  they  have  run  away  and  come  to  school.”  I could 
say  no  more  to  detain  the  children,  and  the  two  little 
dirty-faced  and  ragged  girls  got  up  and  went  out. 

In  my  Sunday-school  two  days  ago  we  could  scarcely 
hear  ourselves  speak,  there  was  such  a din  outside. 


I missed  some  children  too,  and  on  inquiry  found  that 
this  was  wedding  music. 

A little  pupil  of  mine  did  not  read  last  week  because 
she  was  just  married,  and  at  her  mother-in-law’s  house. 
This  week  she  was  at  home  in  Allahabad.  She  had 
a very  pretty  new  white  saree,  a silver  ornament  in  the 
shape  of  a chain  about  her  waist,  and  much  silver  about 
her  ankles.  She  is  a slim,  pretty  little  thing,  and  looked 
very  sweet.  She  told  me  that  she  expected  soon  to  go 
away  to  her  husband’s  house,  in  Benares,  and  my  heart 
ached  for  her.  She  looked  very  serious,  and  I imagine 
must  have  had  some  idea  of  what  was  in  store  for  her. 

The  other  day,  as  I was  walking  along,  I heard  a 
heart-broken  sob,  and  from  the  cross-lane  on  my  right, 
came  a little  procession,  formed  by  some  people,  follow- 
ing coolies,  bearing  the  little  covered  arrangement  in 
which  women  are  carried,  when  necessity  compels  them 
to  pass  through  the  streets.  In  this  they  sit  perfectly 
concealed  from  any  one’s  gaze.  The  sobs  proceeded 
from  within  this,  and  it  was  of  one  who  was  evidently 
tired  with  long  crying.  The  cause  was  not  hard  to 
guess,  as  I saw  a little  bride  taken  from  her  mother's 
house.  Poor  little  children  ! 


It  does  afflict  me  when  I see  these  little  girls  taken 
from  their  mothers  to  go  and  live  among  utter  strangers, 
uncertain  of  the  treatment  they  may  receive,  which,  no 
matter  how  kind  it  may  be,  yet  can  never  be  like  the 
home  love. 

I hope  influences  are  at  work  which  will  break  up 
this  dreadful  system  of  early  marriages.  Much  is  being 
written  and  spoken  on  the  subject,  and  it  does  seem  as 
if  the  agitation  would  end  in  reform.  I believe  many 
of  the  people  who  lack  courage  openly  to  advocate 
it,  yet  wish  it  might  be  brought  about. 


Mrs.  HENRY  JOHNSON,  President. 

Miss  S.  D.  DOREMUS,  Corresponding  Secretary. 
Mrs.  RUFUS  WAPLES, 

Miss  M.  S.  STONE, 


Assistant  Treasurers. 


Mission  Room,  41  Bible  House,  New  York. 


Send  for  the  “ MISSIONARY  Link,”  price  50  cents  a year. 


